Social studies

If the Liberal Democrats were to decide...

2010-05-11T04:02:00.000-07:00

..in my opinion they are closer to the Conservative party then to the Labour party.

Monday morning most people thought THE decision was made. The Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives were to rule the country together, with David Cameron as Prime Minister. Even though the Labour party are closer to the Liberal Democrats in politics, it was an obvious choice for them to approach the winners first.

What has happened in Great Britain now is a quite new phenomenon. The current situation in the country has caused the loosing party to be the decision maker. Even though the people of Britain have "given" the Conservatives the most votes, the Liberal Democrats seem to hold all the power.

As mentioned above, Monday morning the Conservatives negotiators happily announced that all that was left before the deal would be closed was for Nick Clegg to get an approval from his parliament group.

Then the expected, unexpected happened. A new message from Downing Street witnessed to some peoples doubts on the coming deal with the Conservatives. Current Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that the Labour party and Liberal Democrats would engage in conversations about a possible government collaboration. He also informed that he would resign as leader of the Labour party before the annual party conference in September.

It is wildly known that the Liberal Democrats politics lies closer to the Labour party than to the Conservative. However, because of the outcome of the election, (the conservatives taking the majority of the votes) it was expected of the Liberal Democrats to form a government with the Conservative party.

One might ask oneself if forming a government with the conservatives would be a good idea? How similar are their policies? Would they be able to work together and actually achieve something?

On the other hand, are their policies much closer to the Labour party's policies?

What ever the outcome is, is it realistic to say that the Liberal Democrats will make a big difference?

After the negotiation between the Liberal Democrats and the Labour party was announced, the Conservative party made an announcement of their own: If the Liberal Democrats would join them in forming Great Britain's new government they would be willing to call a binding referendum on the electoral system. Many in Britain have called this a desperate shot.

With the Conservatives new proposal in mind, are they a more appealing party for the Liberal Democrats? Even though, as mentioned, the Labour party are closer to the Liberal Democrats, this shot by the Conservatives might give them a great advantage.

If I were to say one thing this election has resulted in, it would be: A change of power. The two largest parties in the country are threatened by a "new upcoming party". Although the Liberal Democrats did not achieve great results at the election they have ended up with all the power in the country at the current time. They will in the end make the decision that will give Great Britain a new government and Prime Minister.

At the current time it seems more likely that the Liberal Democrats would want to form a government with the Labour party. However, it will be a struggle. In order for the Liberal Democrats and the Labour party to form a government they will need the support from nationalistic parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

After the Conservative party have shown their determination towards governing, it would seem like the Liberal Democrats can "milk it" for what it is worth and take advantage of the situation. By this I mean negotiating so that the new government will represent more of their politics.

It is in the national interest for the country to have a strong and stabile government. Most people believe that in order for Great Britain to obtain this, they will need the party that received the most votes. Not the two parties that received the least votes, with a leader that is going to resigns. If this happens it will leave Britain in the same place as when Tony Blair resigned, with a Prime Minister that is not elected by popular vote.

My conclusion is therefore that even though the Liberal Democrats have more similar politics with the Labour party it would seem unlikely for the two parties to form a coalition government with support in Wales, Northern-Ireland and Scotland. By choosing the Conservative party the Liberal Democrats can negotiate their way to greater power, and at the same time have support in the majority of the British people. I therefore believe that the most likely, and favourable for the Liberal Democrats would be to choose the Conservative party, with David Cameron as Great Britain's Prime Minister.

Link to a youtube film about David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and the economy in Great Britain.

The Blind Side

2010-05-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

This week we have, if not studied, at least gotten a taste of the art of debating. One of the subjects we were to discuss was whether black children have the same chance at greatness, or to succeed as white children. Out of the five issues up for debate this one was a certain winner in my class. The reasons for this might vary, but was largely because most of my classmates disagreed.

After debating we were to see a film that portrayed what we had just discussed: The film was called The Blind Side, and is based on a true story.

The Blind Side has been nominated for 10 awards and received 5 prizes. Among these an Oscar for "best performance by actress in a leading role" and a Golden Globe, also for best lead, Sandra Bullock.

Although not all film critics are overly impressed by the film, it blew me away. The Washington Posts film critic Ann Hornaday wrote that viewers would be "enormously entertained and moved by its irresistible story".

The main characters in the film are Michael Oher, played by Quinton Aaron, Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock and the rest of the Tuohy family: Sean, played by Tim MCGraw, S.J, played by Jae Head and Collins, played by Lily Collins.

The film is the story about Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy who took homeless, African-American Michael "Big Mike" Oher into their family. Michael hadn't seen his family in ages, he didn't know who his father is, and his mother was a crack head who had a hard time remembering him.

A man that took care of Michael approaches the football coach at a Christian private school, with requests of taking Michael and his son in to their school. After seeing not only Michaels performance at the basketball court, but also his size, the coach goes on to convince the school board.

"Big Mike" is quickly approached by S.J Tuohy, son of Leigh Anne and Sean. In no time the two of them establish a friend like relationship.

One day the Tuohy family drives past "Big Mike" who is walking along the street. Leigh Anne confronts him and asks him where he is going, and where he will stay. After a couple of words are exchanged Michael joins the Tuohys to their home.

Michael has a hard time opening up, and when asked to tell something about himself all he can come up with is "I don't like to be called Big Mike".

From here the film is a loving, but trying story. Leigh Anne turns out to be an incredibly strong and determined woman. She becomes the evidence of how important it is to know a person in order to help him. Whilst several of the teachers at school have grave problems with teaching Michael anything at all, Leigh Anne uses his tests as a way to analyse him. An example of this is that tests show that his protective instincts are his strongest. Leigh Anne uses this to improve his football skills.

After improving his grades Michael is recruited to the football team, and soon the team reaches new hights.

However the film isn't a story about how the Tuohy family improves Michaels life by offering him love, help, and resources for him to get a chance at a better life. The film shows how Michael changes their lives.

By offering him material things such as his own bedroom:
"I never had one before" (Michael)
" A room to yourself?" (Leigh Anne)
"No a bed" (Michael)
what they get in return is of an other dimension. Through the film the Tuohy family evolves, and becomes a much more understanding, and open to new opinions and life situations. An example of this is when Collins decides to sit with Michael during a study session at school instead of sitting with her judgmental friends.

Towards the end of the film Michael is offered scholarships at all the big football colleges in the country. Because of his choice of college Michael is at the end of the film interviewed by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) because they believe the Touhy family only took him into their family because of their own interests.

We will be watching the rest of the film at school tomorrow.

Even though there was still 20 minutes remaining when we left the classroom last Tuesday, the message in the film is crystal clear.

There is a too big focus on helping others to achieve a clean conscious. The Blind Side is evidence of the opposite. The Toughy family didn't take Michael into their family to feel better about themselves, but rather to help a boy in need. However, the action resulted in their lives being altered.

This is a picture of the real Sean Tuohy, Michael Oher and Leigh Anne Tuohy.

I truly feel inspired by what the actions of the Touhy family. However I am even more impressed by how the filmmakers managed to point out the fact that although the Toughys did help Michael reach his absolute best , but how he made them new, and understanding people.

I absolutely loved the film.

The final countdown

2010-04-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

In 7 days Britain will have a new Prime Minister and a new governing party. The competition is high. The candidates are bringing forth their best game for the last, and most important week of the election.

The question that for now remains unanswered is who will be moving into Downing Street, and Westminster next week.

Will the new Prime Minister be the "new guy" playing ball in the big league, the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg? Will the Labour party once again fill up the chairs of the leading men- and women of the United Kingdom? Or will David Cameron and his party of conservatives collect the most votes?

Although some specialists say the race is now down to Nick Clegg versus David Cameron, the polls show that Gordon Brown still has a chance of a second period. However, after yesterdays mishap, or as some might call it "Browns grave mistake" , the horizon is looking somewhat darker than it was. Headlines about the Prime Ministers "accident" decorates the front page of most of the papers in the UK today.

The British people are looking for a strong leader to guide them through the tough times ahead. David Cameron has clearly stated that he believes it is utterly important to be honest with the people. He has no problem admitting that it will be a rough road. However Cameron is positively sure that if he is elected as the new Prime Minister it will lead them to greatness.

The new arrangement with TV debates this year has given the public a bigger chance to keep up with the debates and important issues each party is fighting for. However, I believe it has also given the people of the United Kingdom a greater responsibility for the future of their country. There is no longer any excuse for not following the debates going on between the candidates. There should no longer be expectable whispering the vague excuse " I didn't have the time, nor the resources to follow the election , and vote".

TV debates in the UK

2010-03-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Election day in the UK will be coming up any day soon. For the first time TV debates will be used to "enlighten" the public on the candidates views. There are 76 rules for the TV debates . The debates are expected to get the public more involved. By asking questions to the Prime Minister candidates it is widely agreed, also by the candidates themselves, that the publics decisions will become easier.

All three party leaders are extremely optimistic about the debates. They say they are eager to show the public their opinions, and answer any questions that will be asked.

MR Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats stated: "I think these debates will give people the chance to have a really good look at the leaders, their values, their character, their judgements, their policies, before they make up their mind how they are going to vote at the ballot box," he said.

Browns response to the debates speaks clearly “I want to set out my vision for the future of this country," he continues by saying “I am so optimistic about this country's future that I want to debate the big issues and I want to show that we are best for jobs, for the health service, for the public services as a whole, for tackling anti-social behaviour and for dealing with the economy.”

“I think people have got a right to look at the people putting themselves forward as our next Prime Minister and to see the choice, then they can make up their own minds.” Said Cameron.

The three 90-minute TV debates will each start with a subject: domestic politics, international affairs and the economy. The second half will be an open debate, where the candidates will be answering questions from the audience or questions received by mail. The first debate will be held in west of England, the second in south-west England, and the final one in Midlands.

These TV broadcasted debates hosted by Alastair Stewart at ITV, Adam Boulton at Sky News and David Dimbleby at BBC One, might seem more professional, and organised than the debates in the weekly Question Time. The audience are not allowed to applaud, nor bu, or come with any comment what-so-ever whilst the debates are going on.

Each of the three candidates Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are to open one of the debates each. Though the debates might sound just, some feel otherwise.

Firstly the three parties already receive a lot of attention, whilst smaller parties are struggling to get heard. These therefore feel left out. Other debates will also be broadcasted. However, these will be largely dominated by London parties.

Angus Robertson MP, and SNP leader at Westminster said: "London-based parties are going to receive exponentially more exposure and coverage than other political parties, I think licence fee payers and voters in Scotland will be asking themselves why they are being treated as second class citizens."

Because of protests BBC will have debates between party leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

TV debates between politicians is a huge part of the election in America. It will be interesting to see if the debates have the same impact in the country of many of their for-fathers.

Question time

2010-03-09T04:14:00.000-08:00

Our assignment at school today was to write an article about the Question Time in the House of Commons. We were to work in pairs. I worked with Ingrid L.

We were instructed to write the article through the eyes of either a Conservative, a Liberal-Democratic or a Labour friendly journalist, in which we choose Labour.

Our article is based on the Question Time the 24th of February 2010. We decided that instead of approaching the topics presented, we would focus on the behaviour of the MPs. How did Gordon Brown and David Cameron appear? In what way, if any, did they use his body language to enhance the their arguments?

Is this what they call Question Time?

The discussion went red hot during Question Time in Parliament the 24th of February 2010. David Cameron's poor attempts to strip Gordon Brown's arguments for depth were weak. Even so we cannot say that Brown was acting flawlessly either. Important political issues were discussed. However, they almost drowned in shouting, mocking and childish behaviour.

Firstly, a small induction to the formal frames of what seemed to be a fight between childish siblings, namely Question Time. Question Time in a parliament appears when the oppositional MP's and the other MP's hear the Prime minister and the ministers out on whichever topic they would like to ask. The Prime minster and the ministers are obliged to answer the questions. Such questions also appear frequently during normal days in Parliament. However, Question Time is a time period with the sole purpose of asking questions. Questions by the opponents are asked with the aim of both attacking the leading party, but also to influence and make them aware of certain dilemmas.

Gordon Brown elegantly introduced his presence by taking a minute to tribute the seven British soldiers who bravely sacrificed their lives in the war in Afghanistan. He also mentioned the importance of these men as they have decreased the danger of terrorism in the streets of the UK. Tributes were followed up by all other speakers. Other topics that were on the agenda of the 24th of February Question Time were cancer treatment, the economy and hospital management failure.

No matter how interesting these topics are, what merely astonished me was the similarity between a kinder garden and the hullabaloo situation in the House of Commons. The amount of noise, aggressive gestures and provoking comments made the whole thing ridiculous. At one point it seemed more relevant to mock the opposing party, rather than performing politics. For instance David Cameron and the Conservatives laughed harshly when Brown mentioned how the Conservatives never talk about the economy. Cameron followed this up by tauntingly claiming that Brown will "leave the country poorer than when he begun." This is a completely irrelevant argument considering the impact of the global financial crisis, which you cannot blame Brown for. Other than that, there were rude pointing, slamming and shouting coming from both parties. Eventually it all resulted in a chaos which provoked Mr. Speaker to stand up and say: "If members do not stop shouting, I may have to ring some sort of help line myself - or, worse still, suspend the sitting. This sort of noise and ranting makes an extremely bad impression on the British public. I appeal to the House to have some regard for the way in which we are viewed by the electorate."

There were big differences in how Brown and Cameron approached each other. Whilst Brown mainly focused his attention towards his fellow "labourers," as if his purpose was to get their consent, Cameron addresses his arguments to the opposing party. This shows were the focus of the politics lies, namely on the Labour's policies. A lot of Cameron's arguments are irrelevant to the conservative politics. In some cases he seems more of a comedian than a serious politician. For instance he claims that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are at war and states that: "If they get any closer, they will start kissing." It seems like Cameron is merely trying to attack the personal Brown rather than conveying his own politics. Could this be because he lacks criticism of the Labour politics?

You can find the video here

and the manuscript here

The Catcher in the Rye

2010-03-02T02:17:00.000-08:00

I have now read catcher in the rye from beginning to end. What is my opinion of the book?

I caught myself reading the book quite a lot throughout the winter holiday. However, I am not quite sure if the reason for the reading was because I had to, or genuinely really enjoyed it.

As I have mentioned in an earlier blog post the book is nothing like I have ever read. I find that the book is like one long thread of thoughts. Something about "Catcher in the Rye" did intrigue me. I found it entertaining to read what appears to, or could be, an other "normal " persons thoughts.

One of the things in the book I most appreciate is the vocabulary. There are so many terrific words and sentences in the book! For instance, no person, at least not that I know would say "darling little skating skirts"(Sally, page 116) "marvelous" (Sally, 116), "honest to God" (Holden, page 119), "fat-assed phony" (Holden 123) "old" (Holden, page 129) "sweating like a bastard" (Holden 178) "frankly" (Mr Antolini, page 168) and "try this for size" (Holden, page 129) anymore. The vocabulary is amazingly entertaining, it really is.

One thing that occurred to me whilst reading the book is every little detail Holden hates.

"God how I hate when somebody yells "Good luck!" at me when I'm leaving somewhere. It's depressing. " (page 181)

"Somebody'd written "Fuck you" on the wall. It drove me damn near crazy (…) I kept wanting to kill whoever'd written it" (page 180-181)

I asked myself a couple of questions when I was reading. Jane Gallagher is a name that was mentioned frequently in the book. I found it incredible that Holden only tried to call her twice. Almost all the thoughts in the book arises or ends in Jane Gallagher. For instance when Holden starts telling the reader about Strandlater his thoughts end up in Jane, quite naturally because she is his date. However, continuously throughout the book her name keeps coming up. Almost every single though ends in Jane Gallagher.

After "getting to know" Holden, I understood that he never went one single day without doing something, or meeting someone he hates. Throughout the book he uses so much energy on hating everything, that he seems to forget all the good times in his life. However, one thing has to be said, Holden seems to be attached to his "hates" in such a way that he actually appreciates them. He tells his former teacher Mr. Antolini how he misses people like Strandlater and Ackely that he has hated for shorter periods of time.

This is from Holden's conversation with Mr. Antolini:

"What I may do, I may hate them once in a while - and this other boy, Robert Ackley. I hated them once in a while - I admit it - but it doesn't last too long, is what I mean. After a while, if I didn't see them, if they didn't come in the room, or if I didn't see them in the dining room for a couple of meals, I sort of missed them. I mean I sort of missed them. "

An other interesting, and I find, amusing thing about the book is the way the paragraph above is ended. Holden Caulfield quite often repeats him self when trying to make a point. " I mean I sort of missed them. "

At least twice in the book Holden has to face his future. He has been kicked out of numerous of schools, and is in a state of continuously hating almost everything in life. His former teacher Mr. Antolini introduces his to a new way of thinking:

"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one" - Wilhelm Stekel.

Phoebe, Holden's sister also confronts him with his future. After finding out that he has been kicked out form yet another school all she can say is "daddy's going to kill you!" Holden then describes his dream "job":

"I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. "
(Page 156)

It seems that I found the book entertaining while reading it. The reason for that was mostly the vocabulary, but also the way Holden describes what would appear to be insignificant details for a person like me. However, if you were to ask me what knowledge I have now, that I did not have before reading the book, it would be a tough question to answer. One of my criteria's, normally, for liking a book is knowledge. For me to find a book interesting, it has to give me something. In some sense it doesn't seem like that criteria mattered while I was reading this book.

The Catcher in the Rye is never a book I would have introduced myself to, however, I appreciated the detailed descriptions, the way Holden thinks, and the obviously incredible vocabulary.

Charlie Wilson's war

2010-02-18T03:33:00.000-08:00

"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world ….

Charlie Wilson June 1st 1933 - February 10th 2010

I find it strange, and in many ways unbelievable that a man that seemed so unimportant could achieve such an enormous difference.

Charlie Wilson was a congressman for the second congressional district in Texas, where the only demand from his supporters was their right to bear arms and low taxes. This in many ways gave Wilson a huge advantage. Throughout his years as congressman he was known as the person with the most IOU's, which was a great help to him in later years.

Congressman Wilson was also know for partying, taking drugs and being around different women every day. However, one day something changed. Wilson opened his eyes to the war in Afghanistan.

Charlie Wilson is later known as the man who supported Operation Cyclone. The operation is the larges CIA covert operation ever. It supplied the Mujahedeen with weapons such as Stingers missiles to fight the Soviet army.

George Crile III wrote a book about the congressman's life, that was later made into a film starring Tom Hanks as Wilson, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Even though this was the second time I saw the film his willpower was equally shocking. It is almost unimaginable to understand how one single person, could increase the budget for the warfare from 5 million to 500 million, which Saudi Arabia was matching. So 1 billion dollars!

An other as significant achievement is the cooperation Wilson manage to create between the countries in the Middle-East. How he managed to make Pakistan cooperate with a country it hadn't recognized (Israel) is beyond amazing.

I believe that one man and woman were almost as important to the operation as Wilson, Gust Avrakotos and Joanne Herring. Avakotos helped Wilson keep his eyes open throughout the operation, but not only that, he opened them after the war was won.

Joanne Herring was always encouraging, almost forcing Wilson to take action. She arranged a meeting between the President of Pakistan and Wilson. Whilst in Pakistan Wilson visited a refugee camp. It was during this trip he fully realised in what extent the Afghan people needed help.

When Soviet Union was defeated the Americans did what they have been accused of ever since, leave the beaten country to itself. The war was over, there was nothing more to do. Mr. Avrakotos however, did not agree. He burst Wilsons celebrating bubble and once again opened his eyes. What about schools? Hospitals? Financial help to build up the country. Afghanistan needs infrastructure.

Wilson went back to the House appropriations Subcommittee on Defence, which is the committee that was responsible for the founding of the CIA, and the committee that had founded the war, and once again asked them for help. One million dollars for schools. One million, not one billion like the war had cost. Over half of the Afghan population was under the age of 14, he said. "The ball keeps on bouncing".

One of the responses spoke largely about the rest of the committees lack of interest. "Why does Pakistan need one million dollars for schools?" "Afghanistan" Wilson corrected him. "Afghanistan."

Charlie Wilson was awarded the Honoured Colleague Award by the CIA, and became the first civilian to receive it.

.. And then we fucked up the end game"

In class - a new working process

2010-02-02T03:34:00.000-08:00

Today we worked in a different way than what we usually do. The whole class was to participate in the working process, from administrating, to collecting information, to writing texts about the information, and finally making a test. I was a part of the last group.

Personally I don't have any objections about working like we did. However I can see the disadvantages for some of the groups. The administrating group for instance, were not participants in the learning process. Therefore I can see this way of working as a interesting, and "original" way of learning. If we are going to work like this again I think is important that everyone has knowledge about the subject prior to the class. Otherwise people might be tempted to always choose the easy way out, in other words the administrating group, which will in the long run make their understanding of the subject weaker than the rest of the class. I also believe it is important for people to vary in which post in the process they are - it will teach them more, and keep them interested.

We decided to make a it's learning test. The main reason being that we could make a varied and fun test. (we hope) The test is made up by different types of questions form "match the pairs" to standard test questions, with "write as much as you think is necessary" answers.

Good luck on the test everyone, it's a real nut to crack!

Catcher in the Rye

2010-01-28T07:26:00.001-08:00

I started writing my first blog post about The Catcher in the Rye last week, however I decided that I didn't want to post it yet. And boy am I glad I did. For even though I will still post my earlier opinion, I can now explain how they have changed. So here it goes. . .

"I have read a lot of English books, but never one like The Catcher in the Rye. In fear of regretting this later, I still have to say that the book is not quite my cup of tea. Don't take me wrong, I don't hate it. I think one of the main problems is that it is written in a genere I usually don't appreciate as much as others. However I have yet to read the rest of the book before I make up my mind. - And as they say : never judge a book by it's cover, or in this case your first opinion. "

That was my opinion then, with other words I was not very impressed. Now on the other hand, I feel a change in the wind. Even though, as mentioned, I usually don't read books in this genere I have started to enjoy it quite a bit.

It is actually quite interesting - my change of heart. The Catcher in the Rye has grown on me. I have really started to appreciate the unique way in which the book is written. To the people who are reading, or have read the book it will not surprise you when I say it's written in a very "oral" way. In many ways I feel as though the boy in the book is talking directly to me.

I have decided to share a couple of sentences that can better describe my new fascination.

"I hate the movies like poison, but I get a bang imitating them. (....) " I'm the goddam Govenors's son" I said. I was knocking myself out. Tap-dancing all over the place (...) " The leading man can't go on. He's drunk as a bastard. So who do they get to take his place? Me, that's who. The little ole goddam Governor's son. "

- Chapter 4, page 25

""Steak". What a racket. You should've seen the steaks. They were these little hard, dry jobs that you could hardly even cut. You always got these very lumpy mashed potatoes on steak night, and for dessert you got Brown Betty, which nobody ate, except maybe the little kids in the lower school that didn't know any better - and guys like Ackley that ate everything. "

- Chapter 5, page 31

I have decided to share a couple of sentences - at least, with you every blog post on my way. I figured it might help you in understanding my dislikes, and likes in the book.

What I find somewhat amazing about the Catcher in the Rye is that I could easily think that it was written sometime within the last decade. However the book was actually published in 1951, 59 years ago! It almost feels like J. D Salinger could se into the future of at least teen writing. The book is written in such a light tone that almost anyone can follow along without any major troubles. At the same time it seems as though not only teens - like me, are amazed by the book, but also adults.

So long sailors!

My journey towards the summer vacation

2010-01-17T03:43:00.000-08:00

What are my goals? What are the areas I want to improve?

No one is perfect, so there is always something everyone wants to improve. However it can sometimes be difficult to point a finger at the exact thing.

Social studies is a subject that interests me a lot. I love the different topics, and appreciate the discussions that follow them. Therefore one of my main goals will be to participate even more.

An other goal will be to get even more involved in the subject. Each subject we talk about leaves me wanting more. I believe that to master the social studies it is important not only to know the basic facts, but also more details in order to feel comfortable, for example at an exam.

Since social studies is about the English speaking world, one of my main goals will be to read more newspapers, especially British and American. That way I can get information that the Norwegian media might not cover.

- keep your head in the game

My Senior Project

2010-01-17T03:13:00.000-08:00

I was asked to write a blogg entry about my ideas for my senior project. I went through a whole lot of ideas, from unoriginal ideas like terrorism, to the situation for the innocent people in Afghanistan, to the conflict between Palestine and Israel, and Americas role in it.

However I ended up with what I believe is a quite original idea. Political statements in songs. I have always had a great interest in artist that use the position in society to make a change. Artists are rolemodels, especially for kids, and I do believe that they have a responsibility, and should use there status to educate others. Artists like the Black Eyed Peas, the Rolling Stones, Pink, U2, The Police and so on, are using their fame as a way to educate people about the tragedies in the world, and who is responsible for them.

I remember the first time I heard the Black Eyed Peas' song " Where is the love" it really opened my eyes. Why doesn't everyone use their publicity to light up important issues? I have blogged about the U2 song "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" earlier on this blogg. The song focuses on the crime done against the Irish during the conflict.

In my project I am going to focus on the conflicts the artist write about, and how they try to educate the people of the world about situations that are, and are not covered by the media.

All that is left to say is that I am really looking forward to the project. And to all the artists:

"I take my hat of for you...."

Milk

2009-11-29T05:37:00.000-08:00

" All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood"

- Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Milk is one of the films that has left me with the biggest impression. Harvey Milk was one of the leaders of the gay movement in USA. The film is his story. Harvey Milk was murdered 27th of November 1978.

One of the first thoughts I had when watching the film was: this only happened 30 years ago! So much has changed since then, thanks to people like Harvey Milk. However the film left me with several other thoughts. There are thousands of Milks all over the world today. According to the International Gay and Lesbian Association 85 countries had laws against sex between people of the same gender in 2007.

When watching Milk I noticed that there hardly were any women fighting for gay rights in the 70's. I decided that I would look it up. The result is the same as in many countries today; female sex is not as bad as male sex. Why, I really can't say. 36 of the 85 countries only criminalize male/male sex.

I come from a family, a community, a country that is founded on equal rights for all. However every day I see, read or hear about somebody who is a victim of the opposite. Today 192 countries are members of the United Nations. 192 countries have agreed to all, or parts of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Still 85 countries in the world, many of these whom are members of the United Nations, such as; Botswana, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia punish people for loving another human being that is of the same sex as themselves.

So many people preach about equality between men and woman, and discriminate people of other colours. So many people preach about children's rights, but treat gays, bisexuals and lesbians unfair. The word equal means the same. It is about time for the people living in this world to understand that in order to be a fair world, a world that welcomes all, we all need to be; E Q U AL

Check this sight out for an overview of all the countries in the world that criminalize "being gay".

Election day - the winner takes it all

2009-11-16T23:55:00.000-08:00

On the day of the election the polling stations are open all day. In the United Kingdom the Election Day is always on a Thursday. People can also vote by post if it is more convenient for them.

The counting of the votes is done by hand, often in a large hall. The prime minister candidates are present in the hall.

The system in the UK is different from the one in Norway. Only one of the candidates can be elected to parliament. There are no extra seats for losers in the House of Commons. Therefore the candidates that did not get the most votes can go back to their normal life.

2009-10-27T04:30:00.000-07:00

"The Eagle has landed"

July 20 1969 inhabitants of the world, everywhere were glued to their television screens. July 20 1969 Neil Armstrong was the first man ever to set foot on the moon.

Pictures above: Edwin Aldrin Jr. , Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong.

Apollo 11 was the first human spaceflight to land on the moon. The ship was launched on July 16 1969. The misson commander was the now world famous Neil Armstrong, the pilot Micheal Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Adwin Aldrin Jr.

The mission fulfilled previous President, John F. Kennedy's goal. " I belive that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon, and returning him safely to Earth. "

The landing on the moon was critical. The only message form Huston in this time period was "3 seconds" the amount of fuel they had left. After Neil Armstrong confirmed the landing Huston answered " You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again"

450 million people listende as Armstrong spoke his words (as he stepped down on the surface of the moon). "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind." 15 minutes Aldrin joined Armstrong, and became the second person on the moon. The two then planted the American flag and began investigating the surface.

I think we can all, (almost anyway) agree that the unanimous opinion is that the moonlanding was a milestone in world history. However what difference has the moonlanding made? I'll let you debate that.

Please let me know your opinion by commenting!

Lions for Lambs

2009-10-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Every day youth, especially Vestern youth get critisized for not participating. We just don't care. As long as the buss ticket doesn't increase, or the all nigh café around the corner doesn't close down we don't care. As long as things that consern us doesn't change; We. Don't. Care.

Many people say that today's youth are selfabsorbed. We live in our own little bubble that only consernes ourselves. We colour it in bright colours, and live happily ever after.

This may be the case for many youths. However it's not for everyone.

Lions for Lambs presents both of these groups.

Tod is an university student living the large life. He used to go to class, but doesn't any more. His fraternity takes up all his time, and women! There is one special girl that requires some extra attention. You ask "it can't be that bad? I mean at least he watches the news?!" Unfortunalty the news Tod and his frat brothers watch is gossip, not real news.

The film is centered aroud a conversation between Tod and one of his university professors. The professor is trying to get Tod to participate, not only in class but also in society. Tod explains that he doesn't like the politicians. His professor then points out that Tod as well as anyone can do something about that.

Somewhere in the conversation the professor gives Tod an ultimatum. Either come to class and participate, or never come back and get a B.

The conversation spins into a story about two of the professors former students. They weren't as bright as Tod, but they cared, and they wanted more than anyone to participate.

Many of us, I know I have, have been asked to get involved. Participate. Do something. But what can we do? What could Tod do?

These are questions we might ask ourselves, or be asked. The sadest thing about it, is that these are the question we dedicate least time to. They just end up being eaten by some selfabsorbed though. Oh, how should I cut my hair? Could Danny possibly have a thing for me? You see? You probably didn't even blink when I suddenly changed the subject. This is how easy, or should I say dangerous it is.

So what could Tod do? I bet your answer is: Participate. However this is not enough. What is "to participate"?

Tod could become active in politics. He could spend some of his time promoting things that mattered to him. Tod could start a radio show at school that debates subjects that conserns him. This way he might enlighten other students. He could start a campus newspaper, or if there already was one, participate in making it. He could make flyers. Tod could come to class, learn to care more, get an education and do something. Anything. He could become a human rights lawyer. Or a social worker. He could work for charity. Tod could vote.

Would you like some bread with that whine?

All these are could's. All of us could do these things. However we don't. My point is: anything is better than nothing. We all, and that includes adults, complain. Unfortunatly that seems to be as far as we go. How many at your school is involved in politics? How many help the less fortunate? How many deeply care for others as much as for themselves?

We are Tod. Tod is us. When watching the film I clearly got the impression that I, personally was beeing critisized. This alone should be a big enough reason to question my participation.

What can you do? Or do you: Just. Not. Care.

Snøbrett - Snowboad

2009-10-20T00:05:00.000-07:00

Snowboard hasn't existed for hundreds of years. Neither is it Norway's national sport. However it is one of the most popular winter sports we have.

Norway has amazing nature. It is hard not to fall in love with the mountain whilst racing down the mountainside, down of mountains shelves and between the trees. You can't help getting an incredible kick as you sore through the air doing various tricks.

Todays snowboard came to existents in a experiment between the now world leading snowboard co-oporatin Burton and Norwegian Terje Haakonsen. It is said that they started of with a cutting board and one binding. Eventually the snowboard that we use today was developed. Haakonsen has been a big influence on the snowboard scene since the late 80's.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vx4gurFlD4

Watch Terje Haakonsens world record at Oakly Arctic Challenge!

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjrezs2Y4V4

Check out this link for Terje Haakonsen, Shaun White and others at various competitions.

For Terje Haakonsen it was important that the competitions were designed for and by the riders. Therefore he created the Arctic Challenge. The fourth Arctic Challenge was held in Oslo where Haakonsen set the world record.

Snowboard is mainly a sport dominated by the youth. However, recently adults have also participated, and the sport has quickly become one of the most popular amateur sports in Norway.

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

2009-10-19T07:04:00.001-07:00

The never ending nightmare

It's true what they say. Everyone remembers where they were, who they were with and what they were doing.

- I had just arrived home from school. I was with my best friend, and it was my sisters birthday.

Some people claim the news had reached every corner of the world within minutes. It seemed as though our TV was hung up. The same unbelievable pictures continued playing on the screen. Every single time it was like something reached into our hearts and tried to pull them out.

343 firemen died that day. A total of 2,993, including the hijackers and civilians were killed. Innocent people. People who were going on with there usual business. Just another normal day at work.

Many don't believe in heroes. Superman, Spiderman, Wonderwoman, Catwoman? Our modern day heroes are people who risk their life every day. 911's heroes are the firemen who worked several days non stop. First rescuing people, taking out the fires, and then digging for days - looking for survivors. They found one.

I can't begin to try to understand how it must have felt, how it must still feel, to have lost a loved one that day. However I did experience the feeling of not understanding. How could someone do something like that? It was like it was taken right out of a movie.

The world today is still affected by what happened eight years ago. It was THE turningpoint post second world war. Unfortunately many peoples lives have been ruined. Not only during the attacks, but by the war against terror that followed.

911 was like a splash of cold water thrown in the face of The Vest. Nothing went back to what it was pre 911. That crucial day has turned so many peoples lives upside down. Who has the right to take someone elses life? Who has the right to ruin a family? To kill a family's main source of income?

These are questions that not only should be asked the terrorists, but also the people in charge of the aftermath. 911 has created a domino effect of negativities throughout the world.

We have entered a new era. The United States of America has a new president. Should not this be the time to start over? The people of the world needs to follow his leadership. Muslims, Christians, Americans, Norwegians we need to come together.

The majority of todays inhabitants of planet earth believe in the Human Rights. We should work together as one unit to prevent each other form suffering. 911 has shown us that we have enemies. However how about trying to end with peace for once.

There is no guarantee that the first person who said "an eye for an eye" had seen the truth.

To our Korean friends - a blogpost about the Norwegian weather

2009-10-13T03:24:00.000-07:00

Every morning is a fraction colder than the last one. Winter is definatly on its way. When I woke up Sunday morning snowflakes were dancing outside my window. Slowly falling down and covering the ground with a fresh new layer of snow. It should be noted that this was at my cabin in the mountains.

Today, Tuesday, is one of the coldest days yet. When I walked out my front door I could feel a cool breeze hitting my face.

In Norway we have 4 very different seasons. There is a continuous flow between the seasons, all of them taking over for the last.

Right now it is Autumn in Norway. The leafs are turning yellow, red and orange and falling of the trees. The temperatures are sinking. Winter will follow Autumn. Soon the temperature will decrease even more, and before we know it snow will start falling. The last couple of years the snow has unfortunately melted not long after its arrival, and not stayed until way out in December.

February is definitively the coldest month of the year.

The first weekend in May is the last weekend of the skiing season, which means that spring is on it's way. Now the temperature increases and flowers stretch up towards the sun.

June, July and August are typical summer months in Norway. However summer is never guarenteed up here. For instance we only had about two hot summer weeks this year.

The Norwegian weather is definitively not dull. It brings colour and life, and without a doubt makes the year go faster. There is always something happening outside my window! With the seasons activities follow, I find it impossible not to love our seasons!

Down and Out in Paris and London

2009-09-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

" I shall never again think that all tramps are drunken scoundrels, nor expect a beggar to be grateful when I give him a penny, nor be surprised if men out of work lack energy, nor subscribe to the Salvation Army, nor pawn my clothes, nor refuse a handbill, nor enjoy a meal at a smart restaurant. That is a begining. "

I read an article in the New Yorker about Grorge Orwell's book "Down and out in Paris and London". Throughout the article I learned that Orwell had great difficulties with the title of his novel. The book went through such names as "A Scullion's Diary", "Lady Poverty", "Confessions of a Down and Out" and "Confessions of a Dishwasher".

I also saw a documentary about George Orwell, or Eric Arthur Blair that is his real name. Blair travelled a lot throughout his life. It is easy to see that his travels have influenced him. Looking at his education, many people might find it strange that Orwell wrote about what it is like to be poor. However after finishing school, his adventures took him places where he experienced new things. For instance he was at one time a police officer in Burma, and later on he lived on the streets to try and experience how it was to be a beggar. He also joined the war against Franco and was a member of FNP, a socialist group. It is unclear whether the novel is a diary of Orwell's days when he was living as a homeless person or fiction.

There are split opinions about the book. Whilst "Harp calls the book a page-turner and likens Orwell's young voice to Holden Caulfield's" others are more sceptical. "The New Yorker finds the book "a tad too self-abnegating as well as utterly lacking of romance"

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

2009-09-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

As I read this weeks homework one particular incident intrigued me. Bloody Sunday. Ireland. Catholics vs. Protestants. U2's song Sunday, Bloody Sunday came to my mind.

Ireland has a long and depressing history, an extremely violent history. 30th of January 1972 will always be remembered as a stain in British history.

The British military shot 26 people, 13 of them dying immediatly. The Ministry of Defence later claimed it was an act of self defence. However the coroner called the incident " sheer unadulterated murder".

Here is a link to U2's song Sunday, Bloody Sunday, preformed at "Live Red Rocks", enjoy!
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQVyXiXrI7E&feature=fvst

Seigfried Sasson

2009-09-01T03:44:00.000-07:00

Before the war people were positive to war. The soldiers were supposed to protect the country. However the soldiers later experienced that the tactics of the war had changed. Now the war was aggressiv and all about conquering, not protecting your country.

"Does it matter?"

2009-09-01T01:37:00.000-07:00

G) The three effects of the war on a soldier are: loss of bodyparts, a leg being mentioned here, loss of senses, sight being mentioned in the poem, and the loss of one of the most important things to a humanbeing; their dream.

H)The poem reflects on the soldiers attitude towards his leaders. The first verse of the poem explains the behaviour of the rich leaders of the conutry. They go about doing there own things without worrying about the people in battle.

In the third verse the soldier talks about his dreams. One of the same points as in the first verse comes forward, and that is that the leaders don't care about the former soldiers. They'll continue their lifes, even though they are in ruins and no one will care, no one will notice, no one will think they're mad, because they'll know you've fought the war.

I) One of the main reasons for the revival of the poem is our generations facination of war. There are tons of examples of this, for example the Danish film Flammen og Citronen and the Norwegian film Max Manus. Millions of the Norwegian public saw it!

Hi, and welcome to my blog!

2009-09-01T00:41:00.000-07:00

My name is Camilla and I am a 17 year old girl from Norway. My favourite thing about Norway is the seasons. I love snowboarding during the winter, and adore water activities in the summer. My free time is either spendt at the gym, or with friends. Throughout this year I will be writing articles and commenting on subjects within social studies.

I live in a town which is known for being the home of some of the most snobby people in Norway. Not shockingly to any Norwegian, I live in Bærum. Unfortunately this is something I find myself embarrassed by at times. Therefore I must say that my answer to the question "where do you live?" often generates a lot of umhh and uhhs on my part. However the fact is that there are a lot of lovely people living here, and that I am proud of.

Stay tuned for my weekly posts throughout the year!